Prime Minister Narendra Modi had warm words for Tamil Nadu during his visit on Sunday. Governments had changed, he said, but his commitment to the state’s development and the people’s welfare had remained firm. That assurance deserves a welcome, as do projects worth over ₹13,000 crore inaugurated during the visit, including the Poonamallee-Vadapalani stretch of Chennai Metro’s second phase.
Several demands of Tamil Nadu have survived the transition in government. That continuity should encourage the Centre to recognise the substantive state interests behind them. Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s requests for education funds and better transport links will sound familiar to anyone who followed his predecessor’s dealings with Delhi.
On education alone, around ₹5,110 crore remains pending under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. The Centre has tied its release to participation in PM SHRI, which involves adopting the National Education Policy. Tamil Nadu has opposed its language provisions; Vijay has requested unconditional release of the funds. During the visit, Modi urged students to dream big. His government should give schools the funds to help them.
On transport, Vijay has sought revival of the Coimbatore and Madurai metro proposals and approval for the Hosur-Bommasandra link. As mid-sized northern cities such as Meerut and Indore boast of underused metro lines, the contrast can cause heartburn in non-BJP-ruled states awaiting clearances. But their struggle to attract passengers also offers a lesson. Tamil Nadu should take the Centre’s objections over ridership and travel-time savings into account while pressing for reconsideration. The Centre, for its part, should explain how it applies its approval criteria across states.
There is now a chance to pursue the state’s requests in a calmer atmosphere. During the previous government, before and after the PM’s visits, voices within the DMK would often allege discrimination against Tamil Nadu, even as the state government observed protocol. BJP leaders in turn would dismiss the outrage as manufactured and list the Centre’s contributions. Those acrimonious exchanges were absent this time.
The two governments should use this opening to agree on deadlines for deciding on the pending demands. Cooperation will also have to survive future disagreements. Releasing the school funds that Tamil Nadu has long awaited could mark a fresh start, giving substance to the PM’s assurance.
